Usher wins; Ann-Marie cries foul
Politics is a rough and tumble business, not for the faint of heart. Today in the wake of a knockdown drag out battle for the U.D.P.’s Belize City Mayoral nomination, the winner is preparing for the future, the loser is crying foul, and the party leader is trying to make the best of a bad situation. News 5’s Marion Ali reports.
Marion Ali, Reporting
With an entourage of party supporters demonstrating unwavering support for him at the U.D.P. Mayoral Convention on Sunday, Wayne Usher walked away the victor, just as he predicted on Friday. Usher says even though he beat his contender, Ann-Marie Williams, by over eighty votes, he had anticipated a wider victory margin.
Wayne Usher, U.D.P. Mayoral Candidate
“A lot of it maybe could be that they want to remain anonymous rather than coming to a party convention, but I have tremendous support out there and I am counting on that same support to carry me right through to City Hall next year.”
Marion Ali
“So what does the course look like for you now?”
Wayne Usher
“Oh, I’m going to beat David Fonseca next year in the City Council elections. That kind of momentum I’m going to maintain it. I started working yesterday on the City Council elections.”
As for the defeated and visibly upset Ann-Marie Williams, she feels she was set up by Party leader Dean Barrow.
Ann-Marie Williams, Defeated U.D.P. Mayoral Aspirant
“He told me that his people will support me, that he will make his people support me in Queen’s Square, and all the people that he have with him. Who am I to say no? He told me that, I didn’t ask him. Unfortunately, he pulled the rug and didn’t say anything. When I went to Bird’s Isle yesterday for my convention, I saw a big tent set up and Sister B was under the tent with the whole Queen’s Square group of people backing Wayne Usher… I was surprised.”
“I remember way back when Kenny Morgan was asked to step down from Pickstock. I was told that Wayne Usher along with two other people wanted to contest the Pickstock Division. That was kept secret from me I didn’t hear when all that occurred. And then I heard afterwards that Wayne Usher stepped down and Diane Haylock was given the seat. Yesterday’s events may have been a massive payback.”
Meanwhile, Party Leader, Dean Barrow, says the allegations are baseless.
Dean Barrow, U.D.P. Party Leader
“This was a free convention and Ann-Marie lost fair and square. Nobody asked Ann-Marie to run, she declared her candidacy first, and in fact, the standard bearers in the city were free as is their right in a democratic party to support whom they chose. It turned out that the vast majority of them preferred Wayne Usher. And I think it was because they genuinely believed that Wayne would make the better candidate. There’s no conspiracy against Ann-Marie. There was no betrayal of Ann-Marie. People put the interests of the party and of the city first and they clearly felt in the majority that Wayne Usher would be better able to administer the city effectively on behalf of the U.D.P. Again, the notion that there is some gender bias here is nonsense. The two U.D.P. women standard bearers in Belize City supported Wayne Usher.”
For his part, Usher says the key to a successful City Hall depends on consultation with the people.
Wayne Usher
“We are not going to be standing up here and pontificate and say this is what we’re going to do, that is what we’re going to do. We’re going to find out from those people in the homes, on the streets what really needs to be done, get it together, plan it, strategize it, and implement it, and make this City a better place to live in.”
Reporting for News 5, Marion Ali.
The ten U.D.P. nominees for the Belize City Council election are: Darrel Bradley, Laura Esquivel, Jorge Pelayo, Dale Anthony, Cecil Jenkins Sr., Anthony Michael, Eric Neal Jr., Dawn Lemmott, Norman Rodriguez and Eustaquio Torres.
