Bernard Wagner, P.U.P. Begin Final Election Sprint in Port Loyola

Just hours after speaking with its area representative, News Five was back in the Port Loyola division for our final story in the ‘On the Campaign Trail’ series, introducing you to the men and women who are seeking your vote on March seventh. On Tuesday, we profiled Dion Leslie and the United Democratic Party slate on the north side, in Fort George. Today, we met their People’s United Party opponents on the Southside, in a battleground division that was the closest in margin in the 2015 general election. With just seven days to go before voters head to the polls, Aaron Humes found the P.U.P. team and its campaigners upbeat and energized for the last lap of what has been a successful campaign, except for Wednesday’s outcome.

Aaron Humes, Reporting

Butterflies? Not for the underdog P.U.P. Belize City eleven. This afternoon they were on familiar territory and among friends in the Port Loyola division, one of the acknowledged battlegrounds for next Wednesday’s election. With a week to go, mayoral candidate Bernard Wagner and councilor candidate Michael Noralez, plus the rest of the team, are bearing down.

Bernard Wagner

Bernard Wagner, P.U.P. Mayoral Candidate, Belize City

“When you see this crowd and the greeting I receive…we have been building momentum; enthusiasm is on a high note, and we feel that in the next six days, we will be in the right place and the right time to spell victory come March seventh.”

Michael Noralez

Michael Noralez, P.U.P. Councilor Candidate, Belize City

“It’s very exciting; whenever you speak to the people, especially when they invite you into their homes, or when they stop you on the streets, they are the persons that are coming to you and suggesting ways of changing the whole dynamic of politics in Belize. Now I agree it’s only Belize City Council – we always say that, Belize City Council. But this election is very important, and the persons who are going to elect us to office come March seventh are very excited, they invite us, they talk to us – yes, we stop a few. They express their dissatisfaction a lot – they are tired of politicians coming and promising and doing things out of the ordinary.”

The team of councilors and campaigners canvassed the area immediately north of Fabers’ Road Extension, which is undergoing an eight-million dollar improvement courtesy of the government. But just a heartbeat away sits Custard Apple Street, which has two lakes that are certainly in contention for biggest pothole in the Old Capital – no good reflection on the current administrations in Belmopan or Belize City, according to standard bearer Gilroy Usher Senior.

Gilroy Usher Sr., P.U.P. Standard Bearer, Port Loyola

“The terrible condition of this street is just a stone’s throw away from Mr. Martinez’ office, and that just shows the lack of concern that he has for the residents of Port Loyola.”

Aaron Humes

“So you had to walk through these kinds of conditions every day there has been campaigning in this area and elsewhere in the division?”

Gilroy Usher Sr.

Gilroy Usher Sr.

“I personally don’t walk through here every day but the residents of the area have to go through this every day. And when it’s not the rainy season, and its’ mucky like this, then its very dusty with a lot of large holes when the water has dried out. It’s like you’re riding a young horse when you pass through here; as a matter of fact some taxi drivers don’t want to come through here because the street is so bad.  Fabers’ Road highlights the problem of corruption that is hindering progress in this country. Fabers’ Road should cost no more than four million dollars; but they are charging eight million dollars for it – one of their cronies got the contract. Out of that eight million dollars, four million dollars, which is the excess price, that could go to provide proper homes for the people in the neighborhood. (Applause) Out of that four million dollars, we could have money to fix this very street here.”

The final sprint to March seventh will see the P.U.P. team try its best to reach as many residents as they can, but just in case they don’t make it to your house, here is a message from the man would be the next Mayor of Belize City.

Bernard Wagner

“People want accountability, transparency and good governance, and that is the whole benchmark of our manifesto; that will serve as the overarching structure, at the top of our manifesto that deals with good governance. We also have social infrastructure there. People are also concerned about their social living; people want to know that they have a City Council who cares and that forms another part of our manifesto. Social infrastructure, physical infrastructure; revenue generation and job creation. The residents of Port Loyola and this City needs to see through this: that corruption continues, it was happening back then, it is happening now, and if they allow them to win this election, then it will continue. It’s time for change.”

Aaron Humes reporting for News Five.