Power to the P.U.P., 22-7

The victors may be boasting and the losers may be hiding, but today supporters of every political candidate have two things in common. One, they’re all tired from a very late night and two, they are unanimously thankful that the national ordeal called elections is finally over. News 5’s Stewart Krohn recounts the memorable events.

Stewart Krohn, Reporting

It may have lacked the drama of ’93 and the passion of ’98, but the election of 2003 will go down in the books as the first time since independence that a ruling party has been elected to two consecutive terms. The margin of the P.U.P.’s twenty-two seats against seven for the U.D.P. may have more than doubled the number of opposition house seats, but the tally fell far short of what they–and most observers–expected. With the exception of some early U.D.P. success in Queen’s Square and Port Loyola, as the night wore on it became increasingly clear that the blue tide could not be stemmed.

By early this morning no section of the country was safe for the U.D.P. and last minute close losses in Cayo South and Central robbed the Opposition of what could have been a face saving finish. In the end, the U.D.P. could only claim four seats on the southside of Belize City and one each in Belize Rural South, Cayo West and Corozal Southwest.

Said Musa, Party Leader, P.U.P.

“The victory is yours!” (Applause)

When the official count reached the fifteen-seat majority, it was time for Party Leader Said Musa to make the traditional victory address.

Said Musa

“All ah we da one! You have endorsed the P.U.P. manifesto to keep Belize free! You have chosen not to turn back. No turning back! But to move forward, adelante with the P.U.P.! Your vote of confidence in the P.U.P. places a tremendous responsibility on our shoulders and we are ready for it. We will accomplish our manifesto pledges, and in particular our pledge to focus this term on sharing the wealth equitably. We have to spread the wealth with the Belizean people.”

While it was clear that even though he and his party had triumphed impressively, the Opposition charges of official impropriety had not been without effect.

Said Musa

“We will take immediate action at the very smell of corruption just as we said, we would be tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime. I say to you now, we will be tough on corruption and tough on the causes of corruption. The spotlight of international agencies will be added to bolster the mechanisms we already have. We will hold all public officials accountable for any breach of the public trust.”

If there was one seat that the P.U.P. trusted to ignite a victory, it was Queen’s Square…where millions of dollars in community projects and propaganda were spent to ensure that their candidate, Dickie Bradley, could keep U.D.P. Leader Dean Barrow running scared. That Barrow won by a comfortable two hundred fifty vote margin was ironically the highlight of hiss political career.

Dean Barrow, Party Leader, U.D.P.

“I am very pleased. It’s the sweetest victory I have ever recorded because of course the government threw unlimited resources into the division to try to beat me. Mr. Bradley waged a vicious, nasty, relentlessly personal campaign, and despite all that, I not only won but won convincingly. And so I am grateful to the people of Queen’s Square.”

But not even his personal defeat of arch nemesis Dickie Bradley could take the edge off his party’s dismal performance. When interviewed on Wednesday night outside his home in Buttonwood Bay, the veteran politician could not avoid the gathering gloom.

Dean Barrow

“I perhaps expected what has happened in Fort George, Albert and Pickstock. But certainly I thought we were going to win both Caribbean Shores and Freetown, and in particularly Caribbean Shores, so that it’s very disappointing, as well as Orange Walk were I thought we were especially strong. It’s in fact a shock to hear that we have pretty much been wiped out. So it’s not looking as well as I might have hoped, but I want to make it quite clear that whatever happens ultimately, I fully and totally accept the verdict of the people.”

With the prospect of five more years in Opposition, Barrow will have to look over his seven-man line-up, map a long-term strategy and decide if he has the stamina and desire to be a part of it.

And while Prime Minister Said Musa also some long-term issues to deal with, for now, he could just savour the moment.

Said Musa

“The hour is late my friends, let us return to our homes and our families, proud and thrilled to have been a part of this historic time, but mindful that tomorrow the real work begins once again. Goodnight and may God bless all of you! PUP! PUP!”

Crowd

“All the way!”

Stewart Krohn for News 5.

On the issue of voter turnout, some seventy-eight point eight-five percent of registered voters actually cast ballots. This is about what most observers expected, falling below 1998’s ninety point one percent, but above the previous three general elections. The People’s United Party won fifty-three point two percent of the popular vote, while the U.D.P. earned forty-five percent of the ballots. This is a significant reduction from 1998 when fifty-nine point four percent of the vote went blue and thirty-nine point one percent went red.