Roger Espejo on the campaign trail for UDP’s Caribbean Shores

It’s down to the wire in the Caribbean Shores constituency, where a mix of both the affluent and poor reside. It’s the constituency where the former and sitting prime ministers live, which was once represented by a former prime minister, but which also includes a large number of low income families. This Sunday its current representative, a sitting minister, Carlos Perdomo is facing a challenge from a younger opponent, Roger Espejo. Both have been pounding the pavement taking their campaign to the voters. Perdomo didn’t wish to be interviewed but Espejo didn’t shy away from News Five’s Jose Sanchez.

Jose Sanchez, Reporting

The UDP convention for Caribbean Shores takes place on Sunday. Only two days away, Councillor Roger Espejo has been making connections with residents across the constituency.

Roger Espejo, City Councillor

roger espejo

“The campaign has been going excellently. We are happy with the resounding feedback that we are getting from the people. The people they want change that is clearly seen in the way they’ve spoken to us, in the way they confided in us and in the way they will voice their opinion on Sunday.”

His first stop in the afternoon is on Kelly Street where residents have not seen the incumbent Perdomo.

john adolphus

John Adolphus, Supports Roger Espejo

“When Hurricane Richard. This man come ya and we were in a state. He was here in person. The whole of my yard flood out, I lose three zinc from my house top. My kitchen di pour, my stove messed up, my back step gone. I could ker yoh right now make you see it. Who come round? Mr. Espejo. Where was the Minister? Me no see ah. I feel like the man have the ability, the quality to run Caribbean Shores. The next thing is, I no see me area rep fi like quite wah while come round and thing like that. So if I should vote, I will vote for Mister Espejo because I really need help, my back step di down, house di leak and this dah the only man weh come round and find out weh di go on. The minister weh dah my area rep, he noh come round, he noh say nothing to me so I have to go who deh deh fi me.”

Jose Sanchez

“Kelly Street is known the forgotten part of Caribbean Shores. So you are saying with Roger this will change?”

John Adolphus

“Definitely once the man is elected to office at whatever time, I know things will change.”

Eduardo Guerro, Supports Roger Espejo

eduardo guerro

“He is the fittest person for this area.  He is young and we gave Mr. Perdomo the vote for general elections but I think that we need a new candidate, young energetic and ready to vote for us.”

Espejo’s team literally cleaned up along the campaign trail. On Dolphin Drive, they cut bushes and cleaned the yard of one prospective supporter who promised a vote on Sunday. But in addition to the young team, it was clear that he had the support of senior voters, including 66 year old shopkeeper Enrique Castillo.

enrique castillo

Enrique Castillo, Supports Roger Espejo

“We really looking for somebody or people to do better noh. We noh wah see the same thing over and over we want better all the time especially when it comes to the city. The city is in a bad state and we need people with good vision and new talent to develop the city.”

Jose Sanchez

“The other candidate who is the current area rep what has he done for your area as you have see?”

Enrique Castillo

“Well I noh study much because where I live, it is a street that is busy, busy. And it’s very bad. When ih dry, we have to the clean up every minute di dust because people pass like they are crazy. As you can see right now the potholes they di build because of the rain and next week you will see deep holes here and no one will do anything about it.”

Jose Sanchez

“And so you have high expectations of Mister Espejo?”
Enrique Castillo

“Well I think a young mind would think better.”

Roger Espejo, Contesting Caribbean Shores For UDP

“A politician cannot do it alone. And it really takes a community to come together and make a difference. And that’s the attitude and the spirit and the demeanor that we carry that we are offering. We believe in community efforts to bring back Caribbean shores to make it a better place and for Caribbean Shores to be an example to the rest of the country.”

Jose Sanchez

“As a resident of Caribbean Shores myself I want to hear about streets being fixed. I want to hear about drains being cleaned, I want to hear about neighborhood watches. This is your sales pitch now. Will I hear about these things assuming you win?”

Roger Espejo

“You will certainly hear about the infrastructural needs we have on a day to day basis. But first and foremost we have to look at people. People make a country. When we start improving on our people that is when we will see it in everything else. Whether it be our infrastructure, our social needs anything that forms a part of our society, but we need to invest in people first. And for that reason, we’ve taken the approach that we need to improve on the marginalized areas. Safety comes before streets, safety comes before drains. Security is something Caribbean Shores is worried about. And that’s one of the primary targets. The rest will follow, but first we have to invest in people.

It’s a battle of old versus young, newcomer versus the establishment.    Area Representative Carlos Perdomo previously indicated he did not wish to be interviewed. Reporting for news Five, Jose Sanchez.