The biggest single issue on the political front in this week following the 2015 general election is the leadership vacuum in the Opposition People’s United Party. The day after a devastating loss, P.U.P. Leader Francis Fonseca announced that he would be stepping down. That’s thrown the gates wide open, and prior to today, unofficial reports […]
Hyde says that successive failures have shown that it is time to stop paying lip service to change, and to make something happen. He wants to be an agent of that critical change. Cordel Hyde, P.U.P. Area Representative, Lake Independence “Really the party needs to renew itself. The party has failed over the last […]
Current Deputy Leader Julius Espat has also found himself thrown into the mix for leader. Today he didn’t go so far as to confirm that he will submit his name for leadership. But he’s certainly not saying that he won’t. Julius Espat, Deputy Leader, P.U.P. “I’m interested in unity in the P.U.P. I am […]
Espat agrees with Cordel Hyde that the Party needs to go back to its roots and shake things up, since the package currently being served isn’t getting the job done. Julius Espat, Deputy Leader, P.U.P. “I don’t think we are explaining our story as best as we could. We have to learn to fight […]
One name thrown into the leadership race is Caribbean Shores Area Representative Kareem Musa. He’s relatively new, with only one very significant, but recent victory under his belt. Like Espat, Musa isn’t saying that he will, just yet. But he isn’t saying that he won’t. Kareem Musa, P.U.P. Area Representative, Caribbean Shores “The only […]
Those interviews with P.U.P. representatives were done at Independence Hall, where the P.U.P. held its National Executive meeting following a luncheon with leader Francis Fonseca. Chairman Henry Charles Usher told the media that there was no post-mortem because the Party is focused ahead. Three items were on today’s agenda, starting with a message from outgoing […]
Another decision that was taken at the Executive meeting of the People’s United Party is that as it relates to the senate, the status quo remains. The three senators who have made their mark representing the opposition are Lisa Shoman, Anthony Sylvestre and Patrick Andrews. The thinking at Independence Hall is that whoever emerges as […]
The first sitting the Cabinet took place today in Belmopan; there are twelve full ministers and seven ministers of state who sat around the table. We do not have any confirmation on what was discussed at this morning’s session, but we can say that government has announced that the first ceremonial sittings of the House […]
Who will be the new leader of the People’s United Party? That’s the million dollar question left hanging in the wake of the 2015 general election and the announcement of leader Francis Fonseca’s stepping down. Unofficially, we are told that there are four players in the arena – former P.U.P. leader John Briceño, current Deputy […]
The fight against corruption is an issue that has on the agenda of the former Vision Inspired by the People, which has now become the Belize Progressive Party. The B.P.P. is today demanding that the government sign on to the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. The convention was created back on December ninth, 2003 and […]
The B.P.P. is also calling on the public to lobby their area representatives to ensure that Belize signs the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. Paco Smith, Chairman, B.P.P. “Certainly the B.P.P. shall endeavor to continue to remind the powers that be that the convention is there. It should be signed; we see absolutely no […]
The general elections held last Wednesday was contested by three political parties—the People’s United Party, the United Democratic Party and the Belize Progressive Party. Considering itself a third option, the B.P.P. were able to muster just over two thousand votes cumulatively; Orange Walk Central candidate for the B.P.P., a former U.D.P. mayor, Phillip De La […]
Following a decisive victory at the polls last week Wednesday, leader of the United Democratic Party Dean Barrow was sworn in as Prime Minister by the Governor General in a private ceremony on Thursday. It is his third consecutive term and likely will form the basis of his legacy. Over the weekend, the Prime Minister […]
Prime Minister Barrow also named the new Senators of the United Democratic Party, starting with his candidate who unsuccessfully attempted to regain the Freetown seat from P.U.P. leader Francis Fonseca. Prime Minister Dean Barrow “I have broken what was a longstanding informal rule of mine that no candidate who ran in the election and […]
Along with the designation of Cabinet Ministers to their respective portfolios, a total of nineteen Chief Executive Officers have also been appointed. A majority of those C.E.O.s are returning, albeit to different ministries this time around. While Doctor Peter Allen served under Minister of Health Pablo Marin, he is now assigned to the Ministry of […]
Of all the shuffles and tweaking which accompanied the appointment of the new Cabinet, on the face of it the title of biggest loser would have to go to Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega. He presided over the Ministry of Natural Resources for two terms, but that giant portfolio has been stripped from him, replaced […]
As the U.D.P.’s mover and shaker in the north, Gaspar Vega actually gained ground, holding on to four seats held by the party and adding one more. But in his own division, he lost significant ground to the P.U.P.’s Ramon Cervantes Junior. While Vega is the second most powerful man in the U.D.P., today he […]
In the midst of the election results euphoria in Belmopan, there was a very serious incident. One of John Saldivar’s supporters allegedly discharged a firearm into the air. He was immediately detained by Police, since discharging a firearm in such a crowded venue is not only extremely foolish and dangerous but also illegal. Another of […]
Two portfolios which received perhaps the most unflattering scrutiny, run by two Ministers who came under sustained attack pre-elections, were returned to those Ministers. One of those ministers is Corozal Bay Area Representative Pablo Marin. Marin retained his seat by almost the same margin as 2012 despite an onslaught of negative publicity fuelled by the […]
Where controversial Wilfred Elrington is concerned, the Prime Minister had nothing but praise for his intellect and performance as Foreign Minister. He did concede, though, that there is disquiet in certain sectors of society, likely because Elrington speaks the truth rather than the politically palatable. Prime Minister Dean Barrow “Some of the criticisms of […]
Orange Walk East was expected to be a battleground in that district – two dynamic young candidates going head to head. But when the last ballot was counted, the U.D.P.’s Elodio Aragon Junior had won by a considerable margin over the P.U.P.’s Josue Carballo – almost six hundred votes. For that victory, Aragon Junior has […]
Frank ‘Papa’ Mena, the U.D.P.’s Area Representative for Dangriga, has weathered two storms in quick succession – a bi-election followed by the general election last week. For his success on the ground Mena has been appointed Minister of State to the Prime Minister. Aside from that political success, Mena has come under scrutiny for comments […]
After a hard fought battle for a seat in Stann Creek West, People’s United Party candidate Rodwell Ferguson has been re-elected as its two-term area representative. That announcement was made official and was met with loud cheers from supporters on Thursday night, following a recount of ballots in that constituency earlier that evening. It means […]
Indeed, jumping the gun to declare victory prior to an official confirmation has proven quite embarrassing for the political greenhorn. But Garbutt maintains full composure, posting on his Facebook page earlier today that he will remain forever grateful and committed to the people of the constituency. It’s a bitter pill for anyone to swallow. The […]
For the General Election 2015, from a total of one hundred ninety-six thousand five hundred eighty-seven registered voters a total of one hundred forty-two thousand eight hundred eighty-one went to the polls to cast their vote; this is a percentage of seventy two point six-eight percent according to the latest figures released by the Elections […]
