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It has traditionally been a closely contested constituency albeit with the U.D.P. having an edge. This time around incumbent representative Melvin Hulse Junior is facing an opponent, Dr. Henry Canton, with a lot of education and energy to match. Patrick Jones reports on the race in Stann Creek West. Melvin Hulse Jr., U.D.P., Stann Creek […]
Written on August 18, 1998 | Posted in
Politics |
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He first won the seat in a bye-election occasioned by the bankruptcy of former representative Derek Aikman, and then went on to repeat convincingly in the general election of 1993. Now a seasoned veteran, the P.U.P.’s Jorge Espat is facing a challenge from newcomer Marisa Quan, whose only electoral experience came as a candidate for […]
Written on August 17, 1998 | Posted in
Politics |
Comments Off on Veteran vs. newcomer in Freetown
In other sporting news, this time from the national pastime called politics, leader of the opposition Said Musa has announced the holder of a key portfolio in any future P.U.P. Cabinet: himself. The statement came in response to a question from host Stuart Leslie on last night’s “One On One”. Q: “Should the P.U.P. win […]
Written on August 14, 1998 | Posted in
Politics |
Comments Off on Musa says, if elected, he’ll hold finance portfolio
The Albert division in Belize City has been the perennial home of veteran political leader Philip Goldson. But with Goldson’s retirement the race has been thrown wide open. The P.U.P.’s Mark Espat has been working hard in the area for several years, while the N.A.B.R.’s Gilda Lewis, hoping to inherit her leader’s following, is also […]
Written on August 14, 1998 | Posted in
Politics |
Comments Off on Albert is a tossup as Goldson retires
It was promised in time for the U.D.P. national convention in July and pre-empted this past weekend when the P.U.P. got hold of an advance copy. But better late than never, the ruling party’s manifesto has finally been unveiled. Patrick Jones was on hand to take a look. The old Pound Yard in Belize City […]
Written on August 13, 1998 | Posted in
Politics |
Comments Off on U.D.P. launches manifesto at Belize City rally
In other political news, just in, the government’s information service has announced that Justice George Meerabux has refused the application of V.H. Courtenay and his law firm to stay the execution of a three point three four million dollar judgement against them by the Social Security Board. At the same time the judge also refused […]
Written on August 13, 1998 | Posted in
Politics |
Comments Off on No appeal, no stay, judge says Courtenay must pay
If the number of candidates is any indication, it is the most hotly contested seat in the entire nation. No less than five candidates are taking the plunge in the Cayo South constituency, and tonight in our continuing series, “Elections ’98,” we’ll hear from the two who stand the best chance of winning. John Saldivar, […]
Written on August 12, 1998 | Posted in
Politics |
Comments Off on Five candidates contest Cayo South
It’s really just a technical process that involves getting six voters to nominate you, and paying a two hundred dollar deposit. But in Belizean politics no opportunity to show off is ever squandered, so both the major political parties and a few of their smaller brethren turned nomination day into a major photo opportunity for […]
Written on August 11, 1998 | Posted in
Politics |
Comments Off on Parties parade candidates as gun sounds for last lap to election
Now for the actual details of the nominations. The official list has just been handed to me and you’re getting them at just the same time I am. Mesopotamia U.D.P. – Michael Finnegan P.U.P. – Ray Lightburn P.D.P. – Lisburn Peters Caribbean Shores U.D.P. – Manuel Esquivel P.U.P. – Jose Coye P.D.P. – Marilyn Pollard […]
Written on August 11, 1998 | Posted in
Politics |
Comments Off on 82 candidates nominated for 29 seats in House
They are among the biggest names in Orange Walk and are increasingly prominent on a national level. But come August twenty seventh either Johnny Briceño or Ruben Campos will have his political career rudely interrupted. Patrick Jones had a chat with each of them. Ruben Campos, U.D.P., Orange Walk Central “My central theme is about […]
Written on August 11, 1998 | Posted in
Politics |
Comments Off on Two veterans battle in Orange Walk Central
While voters may or may not stop to study the respective political manifestos, many candidates are relying on good old-fashioned house to house campaigning to win the hearts, minds and votes of the electorate. Nowhere is that more true than in the constituency of Cayo North where the two major candidates are both hard at […]
Written on August 10, 1998 | Posted in
Politics |
Comments Off on Fernandez and Leslie contest Cayo North
Both major candidates are former ministers of past P.U.P. governments. Luis Sylvestre’s career spanned the transition from colony to independence and after a brief political retirement he re-emerged last year as a standard bearer for the U.D.P. Ralph Fonseca, a former senator, was first elected to the House from the newly created constituency in 1993 […]
Written on August 7, 1998 | Posted in
Politics |
Comments Off on Two veteran politicians square off in Rural Central
Things got a little bit out of hand on Wednesday evening in the often volatile world of politics. I had just finished presenting the evening newscast when I discovered that my day was not quite over. Things were quiet today on Central American Boulevard after Wednesday evening’s near riot between party supporters of Faith Babb […]
Written on August 6, 1998 | Posted in
Politics |
Comments Off on Political workers clash in Collet
While the minor excitement in Collet left the participants unharmed, the political pressures being exerted at the government’s radio station have claimed their first casualty of the electoral season. Reliable sources have informed News Five that B.C.B. deputy chairman Cynthia Henry has been asked by the Minister of Broadcasting to resign her post. The flashpoint […]
Written on August 6, 1998 | Posted in
Politics |
Comments Off on B.C.B. Vice Chairman asked to resign in political row
In other political news the group of N.G.O.s known as the Civil Society Steering Committee has declined a challenge issued by the People’s United Party to investigate allegations of fraud in the naturalization and voter registration of immigrants by the ruling U.D.P. While a similar investigation was carried out by an N.G.O. consortium prior to […]
Written on August 6, 1998 | Posted in
Politics |
Comments Off on Civil Society Committee declines to investigate immigration
In tonight’s edition of our continuing series on “Elections ’98,” News Five’s Patrick Jones spoke with the candidates from the Orange Walk East constituency: veteran politician Elodio Aragon and his young challenger, Dave Burgos. Dave Burgos, P.U.P., Orange Walk East “We have three issues mainly that we are campaigning on in our division. One of […]
Written on August 6, 1998 | Posted in
Politics |
Comments Off on Aragon vs. Burgos in Orange Walk East
The conventional wisdom about this year’s election campaign is that it’s the nastiest in history, totally devoted to character assassination and devoid of any content even remotely dealing with how we should be governed. That may be the general attitude of the public, but today, with the unveiling of its five year manifesto, the People’s […]
Written on August 5, 1998 | Posted in
Politics |
Comments Off on P.U.P. presents manifesto; 29 candidates sign support
Tonight’s segment of “Elections ’98” takes a look at a constituency that more often than not features a hard fought battle for the hearts and minds of the voters: Dangriga. Russell Garcia, U.D.P., Dangriga “I have said all the while, the central issue is unemployment and we, the United Democratic Party and myself are about […]
Written on August 5, 1998 | Posted in
Politics |
Comments Off on Two experienced politicians battle in Dangriga
And in a follow-up to our story yesterday on the electoral challenges in the Fort George division, we are able to announce that U.D.P. candidate Derek Aikman has finally succeeded in his efforts to remove some voters from the Fort George list. We are reliably informed that out of one hundred and five original objections […]
Written on August 5, 1998 | Posted in
Politics |
Comments Off on Aikman finally succeeds; two voters removed from list
The courtroom of Chief Magistrate Herbert Lord was the venue this afternoon for some high drama that bore amazing resemblance to a scene played out in 1984. The principal actor was the same, as U.D.P. standard bearer for the Fort George division Derek Aikman tried to get one hundred and five names removed from the […]
Written on August 4, 1998 | Posted in
Politics |
Comments Off on Aikman rebuffed on 72 registration challenges
It’s not toy guns that politicians are using these days… and thank goodness it’s not real guns either. Rather it’s still a war of words. In tonight’s segment on “Elections ’98” we’ll cover the battle in Pickstock, where a legendary incumbent is under siege from a determined challenger. Wilfred Elrington, U.D.P., Pickstock “With respect to […]
Written on August 4, 1998 | Posted in
Politics |
Comments Off on Price vs. Elrington in Pickstock
Today, the police gathered in force at the Holy Redeemer Parish Hall in Belize City. The meeting is part of a national tour being conducted by senior officers under the leadership of Commissioner of Police Ornel Brooks. According to Brooks, the purpose is to sensitize the police officers to the conduct of the electoral process, […]
Written on August 3, 1998 | Posted in
Politics |
Comments Off on Police Commissioner says elections will be peaceful
On Saturday evening the People’s United Party’s campaign train pulled into the old capital as part of its nationwide tour. Patrick Jones files the following report. The football field opposite the Racoon Street Police Station in Belize City, overflowed on Saturday night. The cheers, however, were not for the local champion soccer team, but for […]
Written on August 3, 1998 | Posted in
Politics |
Comments Off on P.U.P. People’s Assembly hits southside Belize City
It’s an area of the country whose four seats are at present solidly blue. Tonight in our continuing series of “Elections ’98,” Patrick Jones looks at the candidates in the constituency of Corozal Bay to see if the tide may be changing. Vildo Marin, P.U.P., Corozal Bay “The issues that I am campaigning on right […]
Written on August 3, 1998 | Posted in
Politics |
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While luck is a wonderful thing to have on your side, the two subjects of our next story are depending more on their skill as politicians. In tonight’s continuing series on “Elections ’98” we hear from Cayo Central’s Eduardo “Dito” Juan and Dan Silva. Eduardo Juan, U.D.P., Cayo Central “Well the campaign issues in Cayo […]
Written on July 31, 1998 | Posted in
Politics |
Comments Off on Juan and Silva return bout in Cayo Central
