On the campaign trail in Orange Walk East

With just twenty-six days until General Elections, the political thermometer is heating up.  In Orange Walk East, the temperature is almost at boiling point and this week an incumbent U.D.P. area representative went full blast against his party and in favor of the P.U.P. But which side will benefit on March seventh?  Today, News Five’s Andrea Polanco caught up with both standard bearers on the campaign trail.

Andrea Polanco, Reporting

In the Orange Walk East Constituency, a wave of the political colors, red and blue descended on the village of San Jose Palmar.  As the campaign trail heats up, all eyes are on this division, which in the previous election was Marcel Cardona’s seat under the U.D.P. But earlier this week, Cardona endorsed the P.U.P.’s Dr. Marco Tulio Mendez, who is opposing, businessman Landy Burns. But has that endorsement changed anything for either candidate?

Landy Burns, U.D.P. Standard Bearer, O.W East

Landy Burns

“I think it’s gonna help me because the people, the few people that were left to prove that he was not really a U.D.P., a hundred percent. You could walk to this lady right over here and she just told all of us that, that was like the last straw and she’s not going to leave her U.D.P. party just because somebody is telling her that they are going P.U.P.”

Andrea Polanco

‘Now that Mr. Marcel Cardona has thrown his support behind you, do you think it gives you leverage or an advantage over your opponent, Mr. Landy Burns?”

Marco Tulio Mendez

Dr. Marco Tulio Mendez, P.U.P. Standard Bearer, O.W East

“Of course, that. Of course, the people are seeing that what he stated and what he went in for, those are issues that the entire town and villages want for some development. Orange Walk East has been abandoned, this government punished the people.”

And as for those Cardona supporters, they have drawn their own lines:

Esdras Reynoso, Dr. Marco Tulio Mendez Supporter

Esdras Reynoso

“That’s true; I have been a supporter of the U.D.P. for the past twenty five years. I also believed in them and thought it was a party that will always bring benefits to the people of Belize, but seeing the way the U.D.P. has forgotten us in the East and treated us and they have mashed us to the least. So, I think Dr. Marco Tulio Mendez is the right person to bring up the East and give to the East which was neglected for four years under this administration.”

Araceli Gongora, Landy Burns Supporter

“He nuh want Mr. Landy fi di East. How you would say it, ‘es la calenture de Mista Marcel’ right, he want Mr. Landy lose but he will not mek it.”

Araceli Gongora

Andrea Polanco

“So I know also on your campaign committee, there are members who were with the previous area rep, Marcel Cardona?”

Araceli Gongora

“Yes, Marcel Cardona, I don’t know how he has the face to come and say mek people give him the support, when he neglected the people. He had at least one year when government supported him and he neva come si the people.”

Orlando Balam, Chairman, San Jose Palmar

Orlando Balam

“I believe, Dr. Marco Tulio Mendez has helped the village council and also the village and helped us in our community kitchen. This is the man that has been helping us. We have not received any help from the Government. I believe Dr. Marco Tulio Mendez is the person for the East.”

All that aside, both candidates are hitting the ground going door to door to meet their constituents. Both camps agree the cry is for employment opportunities:

Dr. Marco Tulio Mendez

“Jobs, jobs, jobs plus the cost of living that we are going through. In my area also we have a high criminal rate, so the crimes are very high in my constituency. So those are issues that are very important. My three main areas that I am focusing my campaign are in respect to health, being a doctor, jobs and education. What I am planning to do is a poly clinic because the Northern Regional is saturated with the number of people from the northern villages. So with a complete health clinic I know I will help to alleviate that number of looking for health service. Louisiana Primary School is saturated with students over a thousand students. So I am pledging to that I will be constructing another primary school for that area of the town that will be more accessible.”

Landy Burns

“One of the main things they’d like for us to do when we get in is to create more jobs. I have been telling my people that I have an idea of an industrial zone in Orange Walk; you could already say that we already have one by the factory and we have private land around the factory and which I would like to talk to the private owners and we could get private sector to invest in an industrial zone and we will ask government to get BELCOGEN to sell the industrial zone the electricity at the wholesale rate for whoever wants to go in and manufacture; and ask government to provide incentives for duty-free for people who manufacture within the zone.”

And those bright ideas, if they come to fruition are much needed for this constituency, where residents say there has been no recent growth or development. And as they go canvassing, the candidates are trying to plant a seed of hope and for victory on March seventh:

Dr. Marco Tulio Mendez

“On March seventh, Dr. Mendez really stands for three main issues, health, jobs, and education. Those are areas which I will sincerely bring the most basic elements to improve people’s lives. I know the area. I been through the area and I have been providing them with medical clinics through the entire area for many years, free of cost. They know my sincerity to really represent them in the House of Representatives. I want to thank each one of them for their support and opening their arms for me when I am visiting their homes.”

Landy Burns

“I have a track record. I have been an independent businessman and started out in 1987 with one employee, I now have fifty employees. I contribute to the economy and try to create jobs even in times when there are no jobs.”

Andrea Polanco

“So, Mr. Landy, what has the response been like from the people of this constituency?”

Landy Burns

“I don’t like to praise myself or I don’t like to count my chickens before they are hatched but it’s very excellent, very good. It’s encouraging and that is why I am here from morning because people say they just want to see me. They have been seeing me for two years. People come to my office; I have been visiting the village; I have been working, fixing streets in this village for over two years with my private equipment.”

Reporting for News Five, I’m Andrea Polanco.

The Orange Walk East is a large sprawling constituency of over six thousand seven hundred and twenty-three voters as of November 2011.