New party long on heart, short on facts

With the P.U.P. engaging in fraternal warfare and the U.D.P. content to wait for what appears to be a victory by default in 2008, it would be surprising if some bright spark didn’t get the idea for a third party. Since the V.I.P., pulled a respectable number of votes in March’s Belmopan election another group has been inspired to come forward and test the political waters. News Five’s Janelle Chanona reports.

Janelle Chanona, Reporting
From their headquarters on the Northern Highway, the National Reform Party has quietly begun the necessary groundwork to contest national elections in 2008.

Cornelius Dueck, Leader, N.R.P.
?The Belizean people they need a new option. This country is crying for it, and we?re here to bring hope to the people.?

Spanish Lookout businessman Cornelius Dueck is the leader of the N.R.P.

Cornelius Dueck
?We have seen the needs of the people in this country. This country has come into a despair. The people have become hopeless. We feel that we have a calling to bring back hope to this country.?

Janelle Chanona
?Knowing that independent candidates, independent parties haven?t had much success, what keeps you motivated to do this??

Cornelius Dueck
?First of all, we are not a third party. We are a new party. We have never had a new party that would run for the whole country and we are here to put in the thirty-one candidates for all the constituencies. I know we can make a difference.?

For more than three months, N.R.P. candidates and supporters have been meeting every Saturday to draft a constitution, select anti-corruption as its main platform and other details of a full fledged party.

Cornelius Dueck
?The emblem is the fist with a circle around it. And the fist means power, security, firmness, value and justice. The circle around it means unity, inclusiveness and togetherness. Our motto for this party is hope, integrity, justice, reform and progress.?

Dueck says an awareness campaign, complete with a website, will be launched in the near future. And until then he?s keeping mum about everything.

Cornelius Dueck
?We have a lot of very qualified people that are with us. I know we are capable to make the difference.?

Janelle Chanona
?Can you tell me some of the names, anybody that we would know right off hand?

Cornelius Dueck
?You know some of them, but at this moment we are not giving out those names yet. They?ll be coming out shortly.?

Janelle Chanona
?Politics is expensive in any country. Where are you getting your funding for everything that the party is doing??

Cornelius Dueck
?We believe for a change and God will provide. He has provided.?

Janelle Chanona
?So you are raising this within yourselves? Where is this money coming from??

Cornelius Dueck
?Funds have appeared. We have funds for it.?

Janelle Chanona
?But you don?t want to say who??

Cornelius Dueck
?Not at this moment.?

Janelle Chanona
?There seems to be an air of mystery about this party, when will the people get to find out these details about you??

Cornelius Dueck
?It?ll come soon enough. It?ll come.?

Dueck maintains the N.R.P. is not an ultra-religious political party, but is based on Godly principles. The leader does admit members claim Israel as the Holy Land
and proudly fly the National Christian flag alongside the flag of Belize.

Janelle Chanona
?What would you say to the cynics out there that would say you?re being a little idealistic??

Cornelius Dueck
?I?m ready for any challenge.?

Reporting for News Five, I am Janelle Chanona.

According to Dueck, the National Reform Party hopes to start holding its conventions in October.