B.P.P. Candidates Successfully Nominated in North Side Division
Aside from the U.D.P. and P.U.P., there is the Belize Progressive Party who has never won a seat, but keeps trying. That party is contesting a number of seats across the country. In Belize City, its leader Patrick Rogers will challenge the P.U.P.’s Anthony Mahler and the U.D.P.’s Anthony “Boots” Martinez in the Pickstock division. The B.P.P. is also running candidates in the Freetown and Fort George divisions. News Five’s Duane Moody caught up with them this afternoon.
Duane Moody, Reporting
Three candidates for the Belize Progressive Party have been successfully nominated to contest the 2020 General Elections for the divisions on the north side of Belize City. Between twelve midday and two p.m. today, these candidates made their way to the respective nomination stations. Elizabeth Dena is competing in the Freetown Division, while Punta Gorda resident Wil Maheia is planning to end the traditionally blue seat in the Fort George.
Wil Maheia
Wil Maheia, B.P.P. Candidate, Fort George
“I have to take off the mask to give you that big smile because I feel so good about today, but I want to be responsible so we’ll put this mask back on. I want to say thanks to the people of Fort George. So many people came out to nominate me today. We only needed six and so many people came out. It was just a great feeling. You know people were thinking, there is such a misperception about Fort George; that Fort George dah heavy blue. Fort George dah heavy blue because the red neva deliver and the blue took them for granted. The people are ready for change. They have told me that I have their support, they are happy I am in their division. One of the things I am most impressed about is the amount of people that know me because of the Sarstoon thing. At one point I wondered if Fort George is by the Sarstoon cause when I walk through the neighbourhood, everybody is saying I know you from the Sarstoon; thank you for helping to save our border, saving Belize. So it is really a good feeling. I am ready, I wish the election was tomorrow so we could get it over with and get to work.”
Party leader, Patrick Rogers is going up against the P.U.P.’s Anthony Mahler and the U.D.P.’s Anthony “Uncle Boots” Martinez in the Pickstock division. After he was successfully nominated, an elated Rogers says that he feels the winds of change in the air.
Patrick Rogers
Patrick Rogers, B.P.P. Candidate, Pickstock
“Excitement – that’s all I can say. I was up until three o’clock last night and the night before putting up our signage, getting ready to get into the streets fi meet who wants to meet us. A part of our strategy is just to go through the streets with our flyers to leave it in the gates with our phone numbers, asking people who want to see us to invite us so we don’t be rude and just approach the voters’ houses. And the reception has been overwhelming. We do believe that this time we are in it to win it; that we’ll do more than just show. We certainly don’t plan to come last and the energy we are feeling gives us every reason to believe that we could do better than just noh come last. This is just a day to ensure that the candidates who say they want to contest the election has the support from the community, where six members from the community say yes, I want Mister Rogers to represent me on the ballot. That’s all it is. You don’t need to flex muscles or anything by buying—rent a crowd as we say in Belize—to flex yo muscle.”
Duane Moody for News Five.
