Who’s the Right Choice for P.U.P. in Belmopan?
Patrick Andrews
On Wednesday night, we told you about the controversy surrounding the Belmopan constituency for the People’s United Party. Arthur Saldivar and Patrick Andrews were both rejected from running in the convention and that has now left a three-person race. Two relatively unknown figures in the political landscape, Wieszman Pat and Michelle Rodriguez are up against Oscar Mira. He had offered himself in Belmopan before but lost to Andrews in a convention – and now Andrews and his supporters are of the belief that Mira is being propelled to the seat because he is the pick of the P.U.P. leadership. And as you saw in our story, both ousted applicants are not happy about it. In our interview with Andrews and Mira, we asked both candidates what is the likelihood that the P.U.P. can deliver Belmopan in the next General Elections. Here’s what they both had to say:
Patrick Andrews, Disqualified
“Yesterday, I met a representative that was coming from the meeting at one of the shops here. He said, ‘Bwai, Patrick, we could write off Belmopan.’ Now, this is one of the persons attending the executive meeting, a present representative. But I am not the only one saying that. Honestly, as me and Mister Saldivar have our differences. I could tell you that this upcoming convention would have been between me and Arthur. Oscar Mira had no chance of winning this convention and that is why I believe they took out the two strongest candidates to favour their chosen individual. But again, this is contrary to the will of the people and all we are asking for is the will of the people to have their say. We have a lot of PUP individuals who have invested their time and resources. And to deny the people their choice, it really speaks volumes because we are still in the Opposition. The PUP is still in the Opposition but if we are managing and running a party like that then I fear what would happen if we would become the next government of Belize.”
Oscar Mira
Oscar Mira, P.U.P. Aspirant, Belmopan Standard Bearer
“I lost a convention to him, exactly. Why? I was naïve. I was new to politics. Whatever we did in that convention, we did it purely by ourselves. I had nobody but the people of Belmopan. In that convention, I believe, made me realize that with hard work, a little bit more of experience I can do well in Belmopan. I am from Belmopan. I haven’t left Belmopan. From the last elections that happened, I didn’t believe that I had to go anywhere else but stay in Belmopan and work. This is what the people of Belmopan want; they want good representation not when things are okay. But when there are hard times they want a representative who will be here with the people. That is what they want. They don’t want someone who will run away and try to make a living somewhere else. Things are hard in Belize; hard for them, hard for me, hard for everybody. And being here with our people; that is how you gain the trust. They will see you as a person who is here with them and that is what I have done. I have never shied away from the fact that I want to run in Belmopan and that is the reason why I stayed here in Belmopan. I work for the Party. I put in my resources. I have put in my time and I believe that in the end the people of Belmopan will see my dedication. They will see my experience as something positive and they will give me that opportunity to represent them.”
So while the field in Belmopan is crowded, in Belize Rural North, the former standard bearer Lloyd Jones posted on social media today that he withdrew his application for standard bearer. Jones promised to say more on this later in June.
