Interestingly, Rogers uses a 2002 judgment in favor of Cameroon as a case study for the crux of his argument. A territorial dispute between Nigeria and Cameroon, involving the Bakassi Peninsula, was adjudicated at the ICJ, ruling that sovereignty over the neck of land did indeed rest with Cameroon based on past agreements between England […]
The P.U.P. today held a meeting of the National Executive, which also includes standard bearers, to decide a way forward to general elections. But by our count, there were at least twelve standard bearers who did not show up. Now, what we heard is that those persons – including five from the north, three from […]
When P.U.P. leader Francis Fonseca emerged, he said that it was just a regular meeting to discuss the way forward for the Party. And even though he agrees that an election is right around the corner, Fonseca claims that so many Standard Bearers and Representatives missing a National Executive Meeting is no big deal. […]
And what about the post of National Campaign Manager, abruptly vacated by Godfrey Smith? It was believed that when Smith was brought on board in 2014, he would have provided some sort of financial access, but that reportedly did not come through. So Smith is gone, and the party leader says there’s no new NCM, […]
In news of a political nature, on Tuesday, Attorney Godfrey Smith abruptly departed his post as National Campaign Manager in the wake of a third consecutive election loss by the party since the beginning of the year. No replacement has been found, but the matter is surely to come up next week when the party […]
There is speculation that given the state of affairs within the Opposition party, Prime Minister Dean Barrow will again call general elections before the current term expires to secure an unprecedented third term in office. It is all speculative this time, but with the bulging coffers and significant victories this year, the idea is surely […]
An audit done by the People’s United Party after a resounding defeat in the municipal elections called for changes to revitalize the grand old party. One affected area representative was Ivan Ramos who stepped down giving way to a bye-election in the Dangriga constituency, which the P.U.P. went on to lose. Now, Gilroy Usher Senior […]
The People’s United Party has reached the point where politically connected and politically disconnected pundits have started offering advice. Advice of that sort can generally be disregarded, but today U.D.P. politician, Wilfred ‘Sedi’ Elrington, offered his own advice. Elrington told News Five that he doesn’t get the sense that there is any real strategic thinking […]
Anthony “Boots” Martinez is also offering his two cents on the Opposition party narrowing it on the leadership. Boots, who doesn’t live in Port Loyola, but Freetown, says he believes that Francis Fonseca is vulnerable in the constituency. Anthony “Boots” Martinez, U.D.P. Area Rep, Port Loyola “I want him to be leader; for me […]
Earlier this week, the P.U.P. confirmed that after reaching a mutual understanding, the party’s national campaign manager, Godfrey Smith, who took over the post in early 2014, was stepping down. Senior U.D.P. Minister, Anthony “Boots” Martinez, says Smith was “man enough” to do it and that P.U.P. Party Leader, Francis Fonseca, should follow suit. […]
Tonight, there is major news coming out of the People’s United Party camp in the wake of last Wednesday’s Dangriga bye-election. News Five was able to confirm today that Godfrey Smith is no longer the National Campaign Manager of the Party, effective immediately. Sources say that Smith had been contemplating leaving the post after the […]
Newly-elected Dangriga Area Representative Frank ‘Papa’ Mena was sworn in as Minister of State in the Ministry of National Security this morning in Belmopan. The installation took place before Governor General Sir Colville Young at the Belize House where a small gathering of family and friends was on hand to witness the formalities. Mena’s official […]
Is there an inextricable link between the new pecking order of the People’s United Party and that of the previous regime led by Said Musa? Well, that’s an assertion put to Francis Fonseca during Thursday’s post bye-election media brief. The bold suggestion that the P.U.P.’s inner circle remains relatively unchanged since 2008 got the party […]
Despite losing almost a quarter of its constituents since the 2012 general elections, Fonseca says the party is encouraged by its accomplishment on Wednesday given the circumstances leading up to the bye-elections. Francis Fonseca, Party Leader, P.U.P. “We have a good candidate, we have to be better organized, we need even more resources and […]
On Wednesday, Frank ‘Papa” Mena was victorious by a significant margin in bye-elections held in Dangriga Town, Hope Creek and Sarawee. Even more than the numbers, the political muscle on the ground from both parties has received much scrutiny. The P.U.P., at least outside the voting area, put on a good show, but when ballots […]
The results of the Dangriga bye-elections were known early on Wednesday night. In fact by seven thirty it was clear that the U.D.P.’s Frank “Papa” Mena had established a commanding lead over the P.U.P.’s Anthony Sabal. At the end of the counting of votes, the difference stood at six hundred and thirty eight votes which […]
One of the biggest stories on Election Day was the political muscle present from both parties – and indeed, it’s hard to remember the last time the P.U.P. put on any kind of impressive show. But both parties were out in numbers, and they weren’t quiet. In fact, there were a number of skirmishes reported […]
While some may quibble over and analyze the numbers to suit their own specific agendas, a win is a win, even if only by one vote so six hundred and thirty-eight is a perfectly respectable margin of victory. So respectable, in fact, that it’s earned Frank ‘Papa’ Mena a seat in Cabinet. Today, an official […]
Despite a brief and spirited campaign, the People’s United Party has suffered yet another loss at the polls. In the wake of a fourth consecutive defeat under the direction of party leader Francis Fonseca, the P.U.P. says it is conducting yet another thorough review of the electoral process. That post mortem includes the overall campaign […]
In his first crack at electoral politics, retired educator Anthony Sabal was squarely routed by his former student, Frank ‘Papa’ Mena, by a margin of fifty-nine to forty-one percent at the polls. So, what’s his future with the P.U.P.? Well, according to party leader Francis Fonseca, all efforts are being made to have Sabal remain […]
The People’s United Party, under the leadership of Francis Fonseca, is yet to win an election. Having suffered defeat in the 2012 general elections, a singular trouncing in the January fifth, Cayo North bye-election, the 2015 municipal elections and now the Dangriga bye-election, there is speculation about the leadership of the party. Back in March, […]
This is the third significant election victory for the United Democratic Party just this year – the Cayo North bye-election in January, followed by the municipals in March and now the by-election in Dangriga. For Prime Minister Dean Barrow, there’s no greater sign of confidence that the U.D.P. is doing the right thing, even when […]
As we bring you the news tonight, Elections and Boundaries officials, escorted by Police, are transporting boxes from six polling areas to the Father Phillip Marin Parish Hall where they will be counted to determine the new area representative for the Dangriga constituency which includes Sarawee and Hope Creek. As is traditional in every single […]
The last figures for voters’ turnout in the Dangriga bye-elections were issued at five this evening, an hour before the polls closed. That figure stood at fifty-three percent and the six o’clock figure will be known later tonight. There are a total of six thousand two hundred and five voters in Dangriga, Sarawee and Hope […]
On Friday, Minister of State Edmond Castro took a devastating personal, if not political blow, when he was advised to discontinue a defamation case against visa scandal whistleblower, Alvarene Burgess, and Great Belize Productions/Channel Five. Burgess had accused Castro of taking two thousand dollars cash for the facilitation of each visa for Chinese nationals, and […]
