Two veteran politicians square off in Rural Central

Both major candidates are former ministers of past P.U.P. governments. Luis Sylvestre’s career spanned the transition from colony to independence and after a brief political retirement he re-emerged last year as a standard bearer for the U.D.P. Ralph Fonseca, a former senator, was first elected to the House from the newly created constituency in 1993 and plays a key role as the P.U.P.’s National Campaign Manager. Tonight, in our continuing coverage of “Elections ’98” Patrick Jones focuses on the race in Belize Rural Central.

Louis Sylvestre, U.D.P., Belize Rural Central

“The major campaign issue is very simple. For the last ten years, the representative of the People’s United Party from Belize Central and Belize Rural have not done anything for the people. Absolutely nothing. But it was only when the U.D.P. political officers took over that things start popping in San Pedro, Caye Caulker and now in Belize Central.”

Ralph Fonseca, P.U.P., Belize Rural Central

“The major issue has to be jobs. The people of Belize Rural Central are hard working and ambitious and proud people. They were used to providing for their loved ones by working hard themselves. Over the last five years many of them have not had a chance to do that because of what this government has done to the economy of Belize.”

Louis Sylvestre

“In Belize Central for ten years the people have been eating and sleeping in dust. Now we have paved a lot of streets in Ladyville. There is a lot of work that we have been doing. We’ve been clearing the drains so that when the rains come, the water doesn’t get in the people’s yard. We’ve been clearing the drains; we’ve been cleaning the villages. In Gales Point Manatee we’ll be having twenty-four hour electricity for them. We’ve gotten them water already – the water system – I put that in for them. Now with the help of the Prime Minister and B.E.L. getting the twenty-four hour electricity. All over, we have been doing something in each village.”

Ralph Fonseca

“They’ve actually borrowed two hundred million dollars in the last eighteen months to try to buy this election. They are using taxpayers monies to attempt to buy the elections and they are boasting about it. What we do in Belize Rural Central we have been doing for the last seven years. We have been trying to do the best that we can over the last five years with a very hostile government. I have talked for hours in the National Assembly. Our village councils have gone to see the Prime Minister and have invested many, many hours attempting to get some attention to Belize Rural for five years. For five years, the people of Belize Rural Central have suffered. Over the last couple of months this particular U.D.P. opponent has come in with millions of dollars from the U.D.P., attempting to do some work to try to buy the elections. And they actually have the face of brass to boast about that.”

Louis Sylvestre

“I have a record with the people and they know I have a record. They know that they can count on me to get something done for them and on their behalf, for the benefit of all and not one or two individuals.”

Ralph Fonseca

“Well, I try hard not to focus on the candidate that’s opposing me. I stay focus on the work that I need to do, to continue consulting with the people of Belize Rural Central. I have been very lucky in that they have not only had me in their homes over the last seven years talking with me about what matters most to them, but they have always cooperated with us, with what we call our great conversation that we have had going. So our campaign is really, really, has very little, if anything to do with the candidate that’s opposing me.”

Q: “So you believe that after the elections you’ll be in Belmopan and Ralph Fonseca will be at home?”

Louis Sylvestre

“I am certain of that.”