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Jan 26, 2011

Former City Councilor Mark King appeals to U.D.P. for Lake I

Mark King, the former Belize City Councilor who got into trouble with his own party, may be in the U.D.P.’s bad books once again. King was out of the spotlight and could not participate in the last Belize City Council elections because he was sanctioned for talking boldly about the problems of mismanagement and corruption in the council.  King applied to run in the U.D.P.’s Lake Independence Convention, but before he could work out a strategy to become the standard bearer, his application was rejected outright even though his documents were in order.  King went to appeal that decision today which he calls uninformed and biased.  King, never afraid of stepping into hot water, boldly spoke about the injustice as he stood in front of the U.D.P.’s headquarters at the foot of the BelChina Bridge.

Mark King, Wants to run in U.D.P. Lake Independence Convention

“They didn’t give me a reason in my letter stating why they don’t accept my candidacy.”

Jose Sanchez

“But you do believe it was because you spoke out against what you felt were injustices while you were a member of the city council?”

Mark King

“Of course, but at the same time, I am saying that that sanction is over, that sanction is to miss one term of elections which is the municipal elections and the general elections that have passed. So I have served my time from that sanction and I am suppose to be accepted back to run in conventions again.”

Jose Sanchez

“But let me ask, you’re speaking out again against a similar injustice. Are you not afraid that just this mere interview could affect anything that you may try to do to move this forward?”

Mark King

“Well that is democracy in high speed. Simply because the party wants me to sit back and don’t run doesn’t mean that I cannot or should not represent the people via the media. If I spoke out something that was transparent and I believe that they are impeding on my rights; my rights as a person to run for election, my rights under the party’s constitution to treat all candidates—the United Democratic Party under their constitution must treat all candidates with fairness and their rights and justice under the constitution of Belize and under the party’s constitution. So at the end of the day, no, if they want to take action on me for interviewing about my appeal, then this is a situation that they brought on themselves. They should have done their homework in the first place because the committee that decided my fate was the nominations committee when the committee that decided my fate back then was the actual central executive. So the nominations committee should have gone to central executive and said look, this man has served his time, we have banned him from two elections already—a city council elections and a general elections and now that time is gone. You can’t punish me over and over for the same thing. So I’m saying all I want is my fair chance to contest conventions in U.D.P. And the thing is I have not been expelled from the party, I have not been suspended from the party and I am an active in the party member.”

Jose Sanchez

jose sanchez

“Would you be willing to consider running independent, or it has to be in red?”

Mark King

“Let me tell you something about diehard U.D.P.s—I’m gonna say diehard because I’ve been on the god damned frontline for the U.D.P.—fi Dean Barrow, fi Juliet Thimbrel, fi Patrick Faber and the whole set ah dehn up deh. So let me tell you about diehard U.D.P.s, we no jump out ah wi party just like that, we noh run independent just like that, we work out wi problems when we have problems ina wi party. And that is the democracy that the United Democratic Party portrays. So now they are allowing me to put in my appeal and I am saying to them look, I am asking you to reverse the decision, because it is a non-informed decision based on the fact that they did not go back to the central executive to find out that my sanctioned has been lift.”

Jose Sanchez

“You’ve been quiet ever since your original suspension. Is it safe to say now that this is the beginning of the return of Mark King?”

mark king

Mark King

“I have always been present in the background; you don’t have to help people just by being in front of the camera. I have helped so many people in Belize and they know themselves.”

Jose Sanchez

“But this is your time now?”

Mark King

“But this is my time and this is my time to say that you are stopping the democratic process, you are stopping me from running for an open convention.  So is the United Democratic Party telling me now that you are going to control the democratic process under the party principles?  You’re contrary to your own self. You are running contrary to your own protocols of your party. This is similar to what you can say the P.U.P. was trying to do and self-inflict pain upon a candidate before the race even begins. No man, give me my fair chance, come to the convention and knock me out with all your ministers like you do for the rest of conventions. But don’t tell me I don’t have the audacity to run. No man, that is unfair—it is undemocratic and is beyond my constitutional rights.”

King went on to say that he is not at war with his party and that he has a tape recording of former Party Chairman Douglas Singh and Phillipa Bailey in a meeting after the central executive met during that time when he was still a councilor. According to King, they told him in that meeting that he would have been sanctioned only for one term. He said those tape recordings would only be released if necessary.


Viewers please note: This Internet newscast is a verbatim transcript of our evening television newscast. Where speakers use Kriol, we attempt to faithfully reproduce the quotes using a standard spelling system.

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9 Responses for “Former City Councilor Mark King appeals to U.D.P. for Lake I”

  1. Chass Cross says:

    he messed it up 4 himself. Which party would re admit some one who has gone to town in the media. If I was him I would have tried to work out everything (ie ask for re admission and then appeal) without going to the media. I would have gone to the media only after everything has failed. Does he think the UDP or any party would re admit him after all the bad publicity he has brought to the party? Hell no. Mr King should have taken a page from the PUP book and tried to work out everything nicely without throwing stones in the media. This dude doesn’t have the mind of a politician. Politicians calculate their moves before they play. They don’t make moves simply because it is their turn to make a move. The other thing that makes me laugh is that he want to be a UDP standard bearer. Why is it so important that he is a UDP standard bearer. He can surely run as an independent so I do not see how he is being prevented from running as a candidate in Lake I. If this happened to Mark Espat, Espat would just let all be and run as an independent. Mr King’s position reminds me of a situation where a person wants to force others to be his friends. You don’t impose yourself one some one if deh done tell you dat deh nuh want you.

  2. Bigga says:

    he messed it up 4 himself. Which party would re admit some one who has gone to town in the media. If I was him I would have tried to work out everything (ie ask for re admission and then appeal) without going to the media. I would have gone to the media only after everything has failed. Does he think the UDP or any party would re admit him after all the bad publicity he has brought to the party? Hell no. Mr King should have taken a page from the PUP book and tried to work out everything nicely without throwing stones in the media. This dude doesn’t have the mind of a politician. Politicians calculate their moves before they play. They don’t make moves simply because it is their turn to make a move. The other thing that makes me laugh is that he want to be a UDP standard bearer. Why is it so important that he is a UDP standard bearer. He can surely run as an independent so I do not see how he is being prevented from running as a candidate in Lake I. If this happened to Mark Espat, Espat would just let all be and run as an independent. Mr King’s position reminds me of a situation where a person wants to force others to be his friends. You don’t impose yourself one some one if deh done tell you dat deh nuh want you.

  3. reggie says:

    King if you guys mean good for the people join PNP or run independent. Look at you and the Mayor Flowers . the people will make it happen for you guys.always remember no thirds party will get a full slate in the house.But if you guys get a few it is the starting point.stop going a round in a circle nothing will change.It hurt to see you and the mayor kissing U.D.P.to be elected.If the people need you they wil elect you> I hope MR.Godwin Hulse is runnig as well.He talk a lot n get respect from people.Now he should get up and do something than just be a noise maker.and what make it hard for you is money talk.you dealing with a GIRLYBOY PARTY.

  4. John Boy,Carson,Ca says:

    UDP have the right to reject his application.He is not a good politician.The man comes with baggage.He would be a liability to the party.Run as an Indipendent and see how many votes he would get.

  5. up2ditime says:

    Dis is how u know der is more to politics dat we know about, pure corruption an thief cause like we di reporter fi 7 seh deh nuh want u, why u making all dat noise. Dey juss dnt want u dude let it go

  6. JahKid says:

    Mark King is a lunatic and he is a mischievous person. I do not want him in the UDP, PUP,VIP, PNP and even independent. If he wants to run to be a minister I think he should run sane first, because presently he has runned insane. Take care of yourself Mr King. I remember you from BDF days, you are an impatient person. Relax yourself and get off politics. Find a solid job or make your own job and no mess with politics. It’s not for you. Respect but I might be wrong. Sorry!!!

  7. S says:

    The ignorance in all of this is the very fact that he used the term “diehard”. I would think that in 2011 people are more open-minded and are more educated about the fact that its not about a party but about people w/ vision. Of course this dude has none. he is a “diehard”.
    #wouldnevergetmyvote

  8. queenelizabeththe4th says:

    we dah VIP, PNP no want this man in our party, he dah wan “tell tell man”
    Mark King dah chismoso man

  9. Earl Grey says:

    This is entertainment……………………..

Comments are closed