Meet the P.U.P. and U.D.P. Candidates for Orange Walk East
Heading north, the Orange Walk East Constituency includes a portion of Orange Walk Town extending to some surrounding villages. The incumbent representative is Elodio Aragon Junior and the challenger is Kevin Bernard, who has made a name for himself as mayor of Orange Walk Town. Aragon Junior says he has cemented himself in the constituency but Bernard is not fazed, in his view Aragon has cemented himself in his office. The campaign in that constituency is always heated and passionate. On November eleventh, no less is expected as Hipolito Novelo found out on the campaign trail.
Hipolito Novelo, Reporting
In Orange Walk East, the P.U.P.’s Mayor Kevin Bernard is challenging the incumbent, the U.D.P.’s Elodio Aragon Junior. Aragon gained control of the constituency in the 2015 general elections after he defeated town councilor Josue Carballo by a whopping five hundred and forty seven votes. But now he is being challenged by the mayor.
Kevin Bernard
Kevin Bernard, P.U.P. Standard Bearer, OW East
“We want to make a difference in this Orange Walk East constituency. The people want a leader that will work for them, that will be there for them, one that will represent them in every single occasion not just on election day. This is not about last minute while maul, last minute land giveaway and last minute promises. I want to go in there and work for the people from day one just as I have done as being the Mayor of Orange Walk town.”
The P.U.P. gained ground in the Orange Walk district during the 2019 village council elections. But for Aragon, Bernard is no threat. He says he has positioned himself as the leader of Orange Walk East.
Elodio Aragon Jr.
Elodio Aragon Jr., U.D.P. Area Rep., OW East
“This year we have reached out to a lot of people from the villages to the town. In terms of the mere fact of the food pantries I have put out there. I have done that because I know the situation. I know the hardship that this has bring. I can tell you from a government standpoint, in terms of what COVID has down to us. It has closed down our airport for many, many moths, no tourism dollars coming in. So I know the effect of the national level in terms of the government. Now imagine you and you bring that down to the people on the ground. We must be realistic, we must understand and care for others. That is why my campaign this year has always been and will continue to be about the people.”
Hipolito Novelo
“Sir do you believe that you have cemented yourself in the east?”
Elodio Aragon Jr.
“I definitely think so. I think my work speaks for itself. And I have always said this, people in our community have lived her all their life just like I have in Orange Walk East. I love where I grew up. I love the people I serve right now.”
Hipolito Novelo
“What if I tell you that Elodio Aragon Junior has cemented himself here in Orange Walk East?”
Kevin Bernard
“I don’t think so. I think the only way he has cemented himself is in his office because he has not been visible to the people of Orange Walk east.”
Elodio Aragon Jr.
“And I have always told people this, you can take the last thirty years in my community, in the east add up the P.U.P. and U.D.P. representatives that have been there and compared those thirty years of work with the five years of work that I have done here in this constituency and they cannot compare to the work that I have done because I am truly committed to the People of Orange Walk East.”
But these two politicians have to take extreme caution on the campaign. Orange Walk has the largest number of confirmed and active cases. They must be careful not only for themselves but for their campaigners and supporters.
Elodio Aragon Jr.
“The truth of the matter is that I don’t have a lot of campaigner going in large filed in people’s home. One, because I must be responsible to my campaigners and two to the people in our community, our residents. I am mindful of the situation. The truth of the matter is that I have people that go around but very, very limited and it is only about dropping letters and things to the people. I believe that the campaign that needs to be done, we have done that in the last five years in terms of the work and the love that I have for the people of Orange Walk East.”
Kevin Bernard
“My campaign has been very good. I have been going house to house, Hipolito, but because of the COVID of course it has been a face pace campaign. It is not a campaign that you can sit down in somebody’s home, have that long conservation. So what we have been doing is that we have been reaching out. We have been using the phones, we have been using social media and of course we have been using the media itself.”
In the last general elections more than seven thousand persons voted and Orange Walk East has always been a hotly contested seat. This year, it is an anticipated that the race will be tight.
Hipolito Novelo
“What are the issues you are campaigning on?”
Kevin Bernard
“My issue, we touch on many issues but the locally the issue is about neglect, abandonment and I want to bring about that change.”
Elodio Aragon Jr.
My leadership sets apart from many other leaders because I truly believe that we should ways put our people first and if you do that you cannot go wrong and that is what I stand for.”
Reporting for News Five, I am Hipolito Novelo.
