Incumbent Carlos Perdomo remains as UDP area rep. for Caribbean Shores
Conventional wisdom has it that the incumbent is hard to beat. And so it was on Sunday when Carlos Perdomo, the Minister that was challenged by a relatively new comer in the UDP’s Caribbean Shores convention, won hands down for a second term in a relatively short campaign. Perdomo, who was moved as minister of the national security when crime reached crisis proportions, and whose ministry is now mired in an immigration scandal, had the backing of his party’s hierarchy. He beat Councilor Roger Espejo decisively on Sunday after voting closed at five in the evening. A little over a thousand voted in a division of about five thousand registered voters. News Five’s Isani Cayetano reports.
Isani Cayetano, Reporting
The constant trickle of voters onto the compound at Trinity Methodist School on Sunday morning was testament to the well-oiled machineries of politicians Carlos Perdomo and Roger Espejo, both UDP contestants for the Caribbean Shores constituency. Perdomo, the incumbent standard-bearer who unseated the late Oscar Ayuso in 2005 to eventually become area representative was challenged by Espejo during an announcement in mid-November. Since then the two have been campaigning diligently in a divisional race that would ultimately see one man emerging victorious. To Perdomo’s advantage was the support he mustered from fellow members of Cabinet including his close ally Anthony ‘Boots’ Martinez.
anthony "boots" martinez
Anthony ‘Boots’ Martinez, Campaign Leader
“I have been here on the ground taking care of business campaigning in Caribbean Shores. [As] a matter of fact I am responsible for Area Five mostly, that is the Kelly Street area. So we brought out at least, this morning we brought out forty percent of the registered [voters], the people that physical is in there that is able to vote. I am in control of the Kelly Street area, Area Five, so I’ll be working there until one o’clock and then after that I move in different area of people of which I know to come out and support Mr. Perdomo and so I am happy with the response coming from people and so we are getting it done.”
Despite the brass of the United Democratic Party throwing its weight behind Perdomo his opponent, a first-time candidate for the title, expressed confidence in the groundwork he had done in the area.
Roger Espejo, Candidate, Caribbean Shores
roger espejo
“We’re working our pledge list and we have our vehicles out, we have our people out, our captains out and everything is coming together and now we just have to wait until the polls close at five at 5 p.m. for the counting to begin.”
Interestingly, the generation gap saw Espejo appealing to a younger electorate while Perdomo, it would seem, stuck with the tried and true. Among the many stalwarts was his wife Michelle who was brought in to cast a vote in his favor.
Carlos Perdomo, Candidate, Caribbean Shores
“We’re only two hours into the seven hours but it looks at this point that most of our people are coming out and if it continues like this it will certainly boost the confidence and bring in a victory for the Perdomo Camp.”
Chairing the convention was Patrick Faber seen here in discussion with both candidates. A win for Espejo would mean the beginning of a new era for residents of Caribbean Shores starting with addressing the needs of the overlooked.
Roger Espejo
“If we invest in those areas whether it be after school programs, sporting programs, family building programs, value restructuring programs, outreach of different kinds. We believe that working with the people and rebuilding people, inspiring people and giving them hope because it’s one thing to be financially bankrupt, and we have a lot of that, but it’s a completely different thing to be morally bankrupt. Once we start working with these people, with our people because they are our people, then we’ll start to see a change; a difference in everything else that we do.”
carlos perdomo
To get there nonetheless, Espejo would have to pay his dues, which according to Perdomo, was not the case.
Carlos Perdomo
“We’ve been in the party for many, many, many years and we have built a relationship over decades where I suspect with my competitor he’s new to the party. He hasn’t really put in his pounds as a UDP so it’s just natural for the older friends to cling together.”
And those seasoned veterans were certainly there with the convention playing out as a who’s who in the echelon of the United Democratic Party. In the end Perdomo would retain his seat as the standard-bearer for Caribbean Shores by a landslide victory of six hundred and ninety-five votes to Espejo’s three hundred and seventy-five. The turnout however, was rather scanty for a constituency of five thousand registered voters comprised of both the affluent and the underprivileged. For Espejo, in the wake of a crushing defeat, today would be business as usual.
Roger Espejo
“We wake up tomorrow with the same attitude and we keep pushing.”
Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.
two losers….both are incompetent….Espejo and city council are a disaster for Belize City ……whilst Perdomo and the UDP are a disaster for the country of Belize…
this gov probably stole this election also you cant trust this perdomo fu nothing once a thief always a thief another blow to belize.
Not too sure about the way these elections are conducted in Belize but it would make more sense that these campaigns for party representatives be nominated and financed by the candidates rather than through an election using public funds.
two clown,none betta a d next !
it’s surprising how people still seems to look up to this ministers that are causing big international shames to our country and yet they keep liking them, is it that they are paid to vote or it’s really being ignorant on how these ministers handle our country and yet we encourage them to run politics, jeez this is reall funny cause after wards they are the same people that baul when they take the licking. open your eyes people look around you, look what they’ve done for the country before you vote, vote fort the one that really works not because he pays your vote or becuase you like the man come on let’s think better than this.
i dont care who wins just want a change for Caribbean Shores!
it used to be a safe area now no one is safe!
we need more after school programs, more recreation centers for kids, more extracurricular facilities, anything and everything that will keep our youth out of trouble!
I hope PUP bring a better candidate. Even though I support the UDP. I pray and hope for the residents of Caribbean Shores that the PUP have a better candidate. Perdomo has proven that he is incompetent, Roger Espejo is arrogrant but maybe he would have done more, but their is still light at the end of the tunnel ( i hope).
Look like money win again though u cant blame the poor people for taking the money that was being thrown there way and the free liquor. This however seemed like a fixed thing to me i heard that a lot of people were turned away and told that they could not vote because they are pup supporters. Talk about absolute crazyness telling people that they cant have a say in who governs them. The last time i checked belize was a free country. The most disappointing thing to me out of the whole situation is to see the lack of support from all the eleder ministers for a young candidate and the message that they are sending to younger people by doing so.
Lany, you saw the mess PUP had just trying to decide on a meeting date to elect new leaders & they are still at each others throats. I believe Henry Usher is the front man for PUP in Caribbean Shores. Papa has too much baggage. This election is over but we need to have elected officials who actually live in the areas they represent.
Boots & several others live in Caribbean Shores. Isn’t it hypocritical to talk about the crime that is now affecting that area when they have done nothing to relieve the suffering in the areas they represent?. Explaining that he communicates with the people in the Kelly Street area is offensive. Why isn’t Perdomo talking to HIS constituents. At least the Pied Piper had a cross section of the community walking behind him.
Does Boots not have enough to do in his division? Start by listening to the person who complained about the street in front of the port. Sit down with Ms Shakron & Sutherland, be their advocate when the ministers meet. Help Mr.(s) Pitts & Singh out…
UDP all the way!!!!!
It’s ignorant to keep doing the same thing over and over yet hoping for a different result. Why not give the newcomer a chance than to gling to the ignorance of an old fool who has deceived the people and shamed the country? I don’t know why people can’t see that voting by loyalty is not healthy for this country, especially when the people you are voting for are caught up in immigration scandal.
Failure must be like mothers milk to these fools!!!
I told myself that if Perdomo won; this will be a indication of the next General Elections; because him winning shows that people in Belize are truly too phuking dumb; I mean they actually voted this…useless…flab of flesh in gain.
What the hell message does that send, Belize City people seem like they are gluttons for punishement – I officially don’t feel sorry for you morons; the criminals should stop messing around and just do a city wide murder and robbery spree; cause this is an indicate that you all don’t care, too stupid or just are masochists.
agreed Espejo is a douchebag, but I think he could have actually gotten something done because perdomo can only get blasted and threaten to cry; that message he did on t.v. was so pathetic i almost felt sorry for him (but only as long as it took light to travel from the t.v. to my eyes to my brain; so not very long).
Also, Espejo for a young guy like you, you shouldnt that little pot belly, let doug singh fix you up.