As we reported earlier, Leader of the Opposition, Moses “Shyne” Barrow predicted a clean sweep for the United Democratic Party across all nine municipalities. Well, tonight Barrow is admitting that he erred in making such a prediction. But, he says the U.D.P.’s failure at the polls was not all the party’s fault. He contends that foreign government interference and the People’s United Party’s increased infrastructural investments leading up to the municipals persuaded voters.
Moses “Shyne” Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
“In our democracy the people have to be convinced that the decision they are making is the right ne and unfortunately in Belize there were rampant foreign interference. You had foreign governments donating sixteen million dollars grants weeks before the elections, one million dollar grant in Belmopan to build houses, sixty days before the elections. Those things are disgusting and blatant interference. You have BTB fifty million dollar bond used for municipal projects sixty days before the elections for the candidates and you had this whirlwind blitz of government resources being used, national government resources being used to convince the people that something was happening. The other part is that we have more work to do as a political organization. Our candidates have more work to do to make sure we can penetrate all of the interference, whether it is foreign governments, the tens of millions of dollars being spent on elections, obviously the opposition cannot match that dollar for dollar. The way we could match it is through our capacity, our intellectual capacity, personalities and all the things that make you a potential area representative. I think we need to do work as far as strengthening our capacities so that we can convince people that despite them being plied with treats that we still have the highest cost of living ever, ramped crime corruption, the stevedores have a problem, the caneros have a problem, the teachers have a problem, right on the eve of elections.”
But, what do the unfavorable results on March sixth for the U.D.P. say about the organization’s leader? He says his name was not on the ballot and that it was a team effort. According to Barrow, the U.D.P. has scheduled a postmortem and a National Party Council meeting where they will have the difficult discussions about the party’s future.
Moses “Shyne’ Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
“We as a political organization, every member, this is a team effort. I was not on the ballot. We were all championing the cause of the United Democratic Party but standard bearers and the councilor candidates had the specific task of the day and we need to do a postmortem which we have scheduled shortly and do some analysis and really see where the fat is that we need to cut and we need to narrow down our focus to eighteen or nineteen divisions. If I can accept blame for anything my error is on strategic miscalculation as far as going after all nine. It is clear that was impractical and so rather than pouring resources into an additional four municipalities we should have focused on the five in reach. Obviously Santa Elena, San Ignacio, PG which we won, then on a recount we lost by twenty-five votes, I am asking for another recount to make sure the integrity of the vote is in order and there is no stealing of the vote. In Benque and Dangriga, I believe if we would have focused all the resources there we would have fared much better. So moving forward we are going to have a national party council so that we can decide the way forward.”
Leader of the Opposition, Moses “Shyne” Barrow says he will step aside from his leadership role should the U.D.P. fail in the 2025 general elections. Barrow also says that other party members will have to face the fact that some of them stand a better chance of succeeding at the polls while others will have to sit out the general elections.
Moses “Shyne” Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
“And I have already indicated that my vision is that we cut the fat and we narrow down to the eighteen that we believe can win and have honest conversations with our colleagues, not contentious, not anything disrespectful, not anything dismissive, but truthful in saying that you know what these colleagues have a better chance of winning, and your chances of winning are not as good and please understand that we have to focus on these colleagues because in the general elections it is win or die. Unless we make significant gains, I will allow someone else to come in. I believe my father did that in 2005. I believe he only gained a few seats in the House of Representatives and he said he would make way. The party asked him to stay on. I definitely will give my all for the general elections and I will do everything to make every adjustment, do every retooling, every adjustment so that we can have success, because we need to take it extremely seriously. We see all of the distractions, the interferences, all the monies will go.”
Earlier today in the courtroom of Justice Derick Sylvester, accused murderer Shawn Hertular, who has been convicted of a similar capital offense in the past, saw the charge against him being dismissed. That’s because a Crown Counsel from the D.P.P.’s Office failed to appear in court for a hearing involving that matter this morning. Hertular was arrested and charged in connection with the stabbing death of Miguel Zaiden in November 2021. Zaiden, a resident of Amara Avenue here in Belize City, was viciously attacked and stabbed multiple times by a man as he attempted to drive away on a motorcycle. Prior to that incident, Hertular had been sentenced to twenty years in prison for a previous killing.
A Belize City family is asking for your help in locating sixty-nine-year-old Idolly Young. Young, who is diagnosed with dementia, was last seen on Tuesday, January 5th, near Sanker Street in Belize City. She was wearing a white blouse and a floral skirt. If you have any information that can help the family, you are asked to call +501 613-3361.
Forty-two-year-old Everaldo Garcia was found this morning in his jail cell at the Belize Central Prison. Prison officials do not suspect foul play. Officials say that prison officers were alerted by another inmate to the fact that Garcia was unresponsive. The head of the intelligence unit, Lismark Bennett, was informed of the matter.
According to reports, Garcia received medical attention on Wednesday and was last seen early on Thursday morning. There were no signs of foul play on his body.
Garcia pleaded guilty to theft in 2022. He stole two bottles of carpet cleaner in Belize City. He was fined $400. He was again convicted of theft in January 2024 and was serving a custodial sentence.
A Belize Defence Force truck flipped earlier this afternoon as it was heading towards San Ignacio Santa Elena. The incident happened near mile 37. Witnesses say that four members of the BDF were injured and rushed to the nearest hospital. The soldiers were on their way to participate in this year’s La Ruta Maya canoe race which starts on Friday. This is a developing story.
This evening, the Port of Belize Limited issued a three-page press release in which it accuses the C.W.U. of making omissions and misleading statements during its press conference earlier today. P.B.L. says that it is of the view that the C.W.U.’s statements were made to sway public opinion in its favour and impact the course of the negotiations. P.B.L. highlights that there has been no compensation award to stevedores by the Essential Services Arbitration Tribunal (ESAT). P.B.L. points out that the tribunal directed both parties to engage in negotiations on the terms of payment. P.B.L. says that in good faith, it made a proposal for a redundancy package in order to amicably resolve the legacy matter. The P.B.L. says that the port is in urgent need of restructuring in order to be a viable entity. The company states that it considers the redundancy package proposal, which the C.W.U. did not accept, was more than fair and reasonable. P.B.L. says that it asked for several changes in the current work practices that it feels are needed for more efficient operations at the facility. It also notes that no additions can be made to the official list of stevedores unless both parties agree and that the number of gangs cannot be increased unless supported by increased cargo and agreed upon by both parties. Meanwhile, the National Trade Union Congress of Belize (N.T.U.C.B.) has lent support for the C.W.U. in its current stance against the Government. In a press release of its own, the N.T.U.C.B. says that the C.B.A. negotiation process must remain separate and should be respected as afforded under the Labour laws. The umbrella union says it stands in solidarity with the C.W.U. and the stevedores.
And finally from the B.N.T.U.’s press conference, we heard from Bay Rivas, the union’s National Secretary. Rivas noted that teachers are fed up of being blamed for the inefficiencies within the education system. He noted that the union is cognizant of the important roles teachers play in the classroom, but that nothing will change if there isn’t a systemic overhaul.
Bay Rivas, National Secretary, B.N.T.U.
“When you have already dealt with all your personal business you have to find a way to fix your classroom. You need to find a way to prevent the roof from dropping on your head. We need to find a way to compile the state of some of these schools, bat infested, where they have woodlice and you ask the managing authorities, they will tell you they are not responsible for that, go and have a bizarre and make sure you have enough money to fix your classroom. So, we are saying enough is enough, this is way too much. We are tired of dealing with the inefficiencies of the system and on top of that you wah come and seh well dah your problem. If we are going to fix thing we need systemic changes and not try to scapegoat the teachers. We are not here to say that we are not cognizant that our roles as teachers are one of the most important when to comes to our student learning. What we have a problem is that the insinuation, because these politicians they will not come out and say oh these teachers don’t know to teach, well maybe Johnny would, because his kind of loose, definitely the system failed him. As I said, if you put very qualified teachers in the same system it will produce the same results because the problem is the system, so if you want change it because you need to change the system.”
The People’s United Party Belize City municipal slate introduced its manifesto on Monday, after the team held consultations with residents to come up with what their needs are in various areas of the city. And over the weekend, our cameras caught up with former Mayor, Bernard Wagner and two of his councilor candidates as they went about their campaign with residents in the Faber’s Road Extension area. As News Five wraps up our coverage of the pre-election campaign trail, Marion Ali towed along for a brief part of that descent on Faber’s Road and filed this report.
Marion Ali, Reporting
As the hours draw nearer for the municipal elections, the political parties used their last weekend to reach as many of the residents in anticipation of voter support on Wednesday. Former Mayor Bernard Wagner led part of the slate in their campaign on Faber’s Road Extension. And while their manifesto pledges to deal with drainage and infrastructure, Wagner told News Five that municipal governance has changed.
Bernard Wagner
Bernard Wagner, P.U.P. Mayoral Candidate, Belize City
“Municipalities regionally and globally has changed and have quickly recognized that that da nuh weh mek wa city. A city da the people, a city da the food, da the culture, da the arts, and, so it’s a local economic development, the local economy. And so as a municipality in the 21st century, you have to be able to strike a balance. You have to be inclusive. You have to show that you understand the type of challenges residents are facing on a day-to-day basis, not only in physical infrastructure, but their social needs as well, and that is what we have been doing. We have been essentially one of the key drivers in driving our local economy. We believe strongly that the best platform of getting people earning an income is the best social program.”
Kaya Cattouse is seeking her second term as a councillor. Over the past three years, she was responsible for sanitation, a portfolio she says posed no challenges for her. But the plan, if she and her team are voted in again, is to refocus on infrastructure.
Kaya Cattouse
Kaya Cattouse, P.U.P. Councilor Candidate, Belize City
“We had no workers out there picketing. We had no problems with them any at all. We were able to work together get the job done. I believe we have been doing a good job at the council as it relates to garbage – talking about the portfolio that I was given, noh?”
Marion Ali
But overall, as a council, what would be the first things that you would like to see get done, moving forward?
Kaya Cattouse
“One of the things in our manifesto is the digging of drains. This is something that we plan to, take, a more intense look into because we have seen that streets are being fixed, however, drains, on those same streets need some work as well as drains on streets that have not been fixed as yet. That is one of the things that we plan to take a very good look into – abandon lots, something else.”
This will be Eluide Miller’s first bid at the polls, but he already had a first-hand experience when the PUP held a convention in 2023 to select the top ten candidates from a list of over twenty. Miller did not only make the cut, he topped those polls. He was an administrative employee at City Hall prior to his candidacy.
Eluide Miller
Eluide Miller, P.U.P. Councilor Candidate, Belize City
“I’m a new candidate but not a new face to most of our residents. And certainly the work is not new to me. And so I’m very comfortable and it’s been great so far.”
Marion Ali
“A lot of residents do to have also said that there is no need for an elected council because the administration at the city hall can get the same job done as effectively. What’s your take on that? And you coming from the administrative level in city hall, would you’d know about that?
Eluide Miller
“Yeah, I completely disagree with that point. The city is extremely huge. We’re the biggest municipality in the country, right? We have just about 70,000 residents to look after; 730 more than 730 streets, right? And it’s a lot to manage. And having been an employee of the council before, I know the amount of administrative work. And the councillors play a very important role in decision making, right, and in policy making. And that is what they are there to do to shape the policy. And the council is guided by that policy.”
