Orange Walk Nomination Day with U.D.P.
The nominations continued into the afternoon for the United Democratic Party. With a huge crowd, music and banners, the four standard bearers made their way across town. While the energy was high and supporters were vocal about their candidates, the day’s event was peaceful. A single objection was filed against the U.D.P.’s Orange Walk East Standard Bearer Landy Burns. A voter filed saying that Burns is the holder of a Canadian passport, which he told us is not accurate. And at the end of the day all four candidates were nominated smoothly. News Five’s Andrea Polanco followed the red camp to the nomination stations.
Andrea Polanco, Reporting
And while the blue wave slowly dissipated as the afternoon wore on, the town of Orange Walk was painted red from around two in the afternoon. With an impressive crowd of supporters, Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar alone Vega trumped the Blue team. Along the way, as the red camp marched to the center of town, Vega jogged, waved, hug and cheered and even making a special stop to greet some young students who were out taken on the sidewalk to see the red spectacle. And after he was nominated, Vega was hoisted into the air on the shoulders of supporters. Vega and his fellow candidates say they are pleased with the day’s turn-out:
Andrea Polanco
Gaspar Vega
“Deputy P.M. an impressive showing out here today; what’s the feeling like?”
Gaspar Vega, U.D.P. Standard Bearer, Orange Walk North
“Overwhelming. I am humbled by the support of my people. I am humbled by the privilege that the Almighty God has given me. I am humbled by everything that life has given to me so far. Most definitely satisfied with the number of people out here.”
Landy Burns, U.D.P. Standard Bearer, Orange Walk East
“This is a feeling of victory.”
Andrea Polanco
“You have quite an impressive crowd out here. These are of course your supporters?”
Landy Burns
Landy Burns
“Only from the east; solid east.”
Andrea Polanco
“Are you satisfied with the numbers out here?”
Landy Burns
“Happy; I’m very happy.”
Andrea Polanco
“Mr. Chendo, I believe you were nominated a little earlier, what does this outpouring of support means to you?”
Rosendo Urbina, U.D.P. Standard Bearer, Orange Walk South
Rosendo Urbina
“Well it means that we have won the south. The south is a U.D.P. division and we are sure that we are going to win big in the South. So this gives me a lot of passion and enthusiasm to ensure that we did a good work; that we are doing a good work; that the people of the south with support our government and return the government back to Belmopan.”
Andrea Polanco
“Approximately how many supporters you have out here today?”
Rosendo Urbina
“I really don’t know because we had about eight, seven buses and vehicles I don’t know how many came. I would estimate about a thousand people that’s for me alone—only south; not talking about the others.”
Denny Grivalja
Denny Grijalva, U.D.P. Standard Bearer, Orange Walk Central
“Well you know it’s the feeling of victory; I believe we have been waiting for this moment so long and now we feel very good about it. We are happy about it. it is just like we have been saying, I don’t think that Johnny Briceño is my challenge, I believe that the challenge that we have in Central is the needs of the people. The people have been abandoned for the past thirty-odd years. So that is my challenge to bring resources to central to develop Central.”
As the camps converged in the square around the police station, the numbers grew- some estimate the crowd to be in excess of one thousand five hundred. Articulating a slew of political slogans, some candidates walked while others danced, all in confidence, because they say victory is near:
Gaspar Vega
“I am expecting to win four seats out of Orange Walk and eight out of the Northern region. I just want to tell everyone that we want to invite the little that have not joined yet; that we are a family that care for one another and everyone si equal in this family.”
Andrea Polanco
“So of course, you will continue on the campaign trail leading up to March seventh?”
Rosendo Urbina
“Yes we are campaigning still from day to day from morning to night. And we are sure that the people of the south will return the south to Belmopan.”
Andrea Polanco
“Mr. Landy, I understand that earlier today, a member of the P.U.P. filed an objection to you being nominated today. Can you discuss that with us?”
Landy Burns
“They can file a thousand; I have only owned one passport from the day I was born. This is the only passport I’ve ever held in my life. I am a born Belizean and I am a citizen of no other country except my country Belize.”
Andrea Polanco
“No Canadian passport?”
Landy Burns
“Never, never. That’s a total fabrication.”
Andrea Polanco
“Where do you think these reports are coming from?”
Landy Burns
“From desperate people.”
Reporting for News Five, I’m Andrea Polanco.
